As is well known in the art, vehicle transportation trailers (also referred to as autocarriers) typically include devices for tightening chains which are connected to frames of vehicles positioned on the trailers. The chains are tightened by the tightening devices in order to secure the vehicle to the trailer in each case.
More recently, straps are sometimes used to secure a vehicle to a trailer, instead of chains. The strap is positioned over a wheel on a vehicle, i.e., on top of the wheel, over the tread of the tire. Each wheel has a strap over it, and the straps are tightened to secure the vehicle to the trailer. A tie-down device is used to tighten the strap(s), and also to loosen the strap(s) when required. However, the existing tie-down devices have various defects or deficiencies. For instance, they tend to be somewhat difficult to use, where access to the tie-down device is restricted (i.e., due to structural elements of the trailer). This is because the prior art tie-down devices require rotation of certain elements in opposite directions for the same operation, i.e., tightening or loosening, as the case may be. However, this arrangement requires that the tie-down device be mounted on the trailer sufficiently spaced apart from the trailer's structural elements that an operator can operate the prior art tie-down device without restriction of the operator's movements by the structural elements. But because the structural elements are numerous, and the locations of the tie-down devices are primarily determined by the trailer's configuration and dimensions, in practice, it is difficult to position the tie-down devices in the proper locations and properly spaced apart from the structural elements. Often, because of the locations of the structural elements and the required locations of the tie-down devices, the prior art tie-down devices are positioned so closely to structural elements that safe operation of the tie-down devices is difficult, if not virtually impossible.